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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25413121">A Home to Return To</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunshine712/pseuds/Sunshine712'>Sunshine712</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Relationship To Celebrate (AtsuKita Week 2020) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Breaking Up &amp; Making Up, Eventual Fluff, Loneliness, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:15:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,939</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25413121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunshine712/pseuds/Sunshine712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>AtsuKita Week 2020: Day 2 - Home + Second Chances // It takes almost losing Kita for Atsumu to realise how important he is.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kita Shinsuke/Miya Atsumu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Relationship To Celebrate (AtsuKita Week 2020) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838941</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Atsukita Week</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Home to Return To</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! I'm back with another contribution for AtsuKita Week! I hope it's enjoyable to read!</p><p>Day 2 Prompts: <strong>Home</strong> + <strong>Second Chances</strong></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Atsumu feels a rush of proudness when Bokuto slams the ball down over the net and right into the back corner of their opponents’ court, out of reach of any of the players. The audience roars and cheers as the team crowds around Bokuto, slapping him on the back and throwing their hands up for high-fives. Amongst the mess Atsumu looks up into the stands, and grins widely at Kita Shinsuke, his boyfriend who has travelled all the way from Hyogo to watch his first game as a starting setter. </p><p>As soon as they’ve showered and cleaned and post-game interviews finish, he runs out of the gym to find Kita, but not without promising the rest of the team that he’ll have a celebratory dinner with them another day.</p><p>“Yeah yeah, we get it Tsum-Tsum, go get your man!” Bokuto calls, and the rest of the team laughs good-naturedly.</p><p>So Atsumu blasts his way out of the gym and jumps into his lover’s waiting arms, ignoring the fans and cameras around them. “Shinsuke! I missed ya!”</p><p>“I missed you too.” Kita gives him a small smile, but pulls back and turns his face to the side when the blonde leans in for a kiss. Atsumu pouts, but figures his boyfriend didn’t want to get too touchy-feely in public, so he settles for a quick peck on the cheek and intertwining their fingers together, pulling the older towards the streets.</p><p>“C’mon, Shin! I’m starvin’!” He leads them to a bus stop where they wait for the bus to the restaurant where they have planned to have dinner. The bus comes soon enough, and they find seats quickly. “Sorry I haven’t been replyin’ ter yer texts very much, I’ve been busy with practice.”</p><p>Kita hums and looks out the window, not saying anything. Atsumu tilts his head, confused. “Shin? Ya alright?”</p><p>“Sorry, Atsumu. I’m just a bit tired.” The older turns back to him, but doesn’t say anything more. Something in the atmosphere makes Atsumu fall quiet, a tense silence cutting between them instead.</p><p>When they get off the bus Atsumu’s energy comes back and he bounces about, pointing out different things to Kita as they walk along the streets, weaving between other pedestrians. He guides them into a brightly lit restaurant, “This place has the best tofu hamburgers, Shin! Yer gonna love it, I tell ya!” </p><p>The waitress confirms their booking and they’re led to a quiet table near the back, away from prying eyes. Once they’ve made their orders, Atsumu continues telling Kita about his new life with the team. </p><p>He doesn’t seem to realise that Kita hasn’t said a word in reply as he keeps going, telling his former captain about the bars the team goes to, the gym he frequented with Bokuto, and the huge variety of restaurants he wanted to try out, finishing his speech with telling him about the fun he’s been having with his new teammates.</p><p>It’s only then that he notices how silent the other is, looking at his tea wistfully. “Atsumu,” he finally says, “I think we should break up.”</p><p>Atsumu’s smile falls immediately, golden-brown eyes widening in shock, “What?” </p><p>Kita sighs, and finally, finally meets his eyes, “You have a new life now, Atsumu, one that doesn’t have a place for me. Your training is intense, and time consuming. This past half year we’ve barely had time to even message or call each other, let alone visit in person.”</p><p>“W-what, no! We can make time, I-”</p><p>“Have you realised that we’ve been out for an hour, and you still haven’t asked me how I’ve been?” Kita interrupts him, and Atsumu’s mouth snaps shut when he realises the truth in the older’s words. “I’m tired, Atsumu. Tired of feeling like you’ve left me behind. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to do this anymore.”</p><p>The blonde jolts as the elder stands up and leaves, bowing to the waitress who looks confused at his sudden exit. Finally snapping out of his trance, Atsumu leaves a few bills on the table for the meal they didn’t eat, and runs after Kita, who wasn’t too far. Yet. “Shinsuke! Wait!”</p><p>To his surprise the other stops and turns, allowing Atsumu to catch up. But when Atsumu reaches him and goes to hold his hand he pulls it away definitively, and Atsumu’s heart falls. “I’ll help ya find a place to stay for the night,” he offers, but the other shakes his head, a sad smile on his face as he says that he’s going back to Hyogo. </p><p>It’s the clear resignation in his eyes that makes Atsumu stop fighting. </p><p>“Go home, Atsumu.”</p><p>So he does. He goes back to his apartment, turning on the lights and removing his shoes. Although it was small, it was well-furnished. When he first moved in it had been empty, but he’d gone and picked out furniture that he liked and filled it up. He’d cleaned up the previous night, too, fully expecting Kita to return with him. </p><p>He wanders into the living room, where a nice L-shaped couch was placed. In front of it was a coffee table with a few books, and against the wall was a TV set upon a low cabinet of drawers. He'd chosen a cream-coloured couch, for aesthetics, but now he thinks maybe he should've listened to Osamu and gotten the red one instead, just for a splash of colour against the dull tones.</p><p>He turns towards the dining area, where a medium-sized table is set against the kitchen bench with four chairs around it. He’d bought four chairs because they were sold as a set, but the only time they were all used was when the team came over once in a while. Sometimes when he was all alone he’d sit in one chair, then place his feet on another, just to make it feel like more than one chair was actually being used. </p><p>The kitchen was mostly spotless too, although he’d barely had to clean it up to make it look like so. The days he cooked for himself were sparse, and he orders takeout far too often for a professional athlete who should really be looking after his health and diet. Sometimes, when Akaashi was in town, Bokuto would invite him out to dinner with them, but after a few times of feeling like a third-wheel, he’d stopped accepting those invitations. </p><p>He stands in the doorway of his bedroom; a nice, spacious room with a connecting bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. A king-sized bed sat in the middle, nicely made with two pillows. The bedsheets are a light blue, chosen by Kita when he’d video called the other at the furniture store. His chest tightens at the thought of his former lover. </p><p>With nothing to do and no one to talk to, he lets his gaze wander across the place. On the walls are photos; memories of his childhood, messing around with Osamu; reminders of his highschool times with the Inarizaki team—there are images of them on the court, taken by his parents who went to watch their matches, and selfies from weekend outings. Many frames hold pictures of him and Kita—at Kita’s highschool graduation, then at his own one. A few from their dates, as well. There is one of them caught in a kiss, taken in secret by Suna and Osamu who’d sneakily followed them on their date once. There are some newer images, too, of his new MSBY teammates—casual group dinner photos, and official tournament ones. An ache settles in his chest as he looks over the happy memories and beaming smiles. </p><p>He tosses and turns that night, unable to sleep even for a minute. He tries counting sheep, then scrolls endlessly on his phone. There was something about the spacious apartment that had always emphasised his loneliness, now strengthened with Kita’s leaving. <em>Go home, Atsumu</em>, the older boy’s words echo in his mind, <em>go home</em>. </p><p>It’s 3am when realisation strikes him and causes him to fall from his bed in his rush to get up. </p><p>He takes his phone, wallet and keys before leaving, slamming the front door shut and not caring that he was wearing sweats made for sleeping. He runs all the way to the train station, thankfully not too far, and sends a prayer of thanks to the deities for the 24 hour availability of trains. He buys a ticket fast, rushing onto the train as it calls for final passengers. By 3:30am, he’s on his way to Hyogo. </p><p>At some point during the journey he falls asleep, and later awakens as a booming voice sounds over the interim. “Now arriving at Hyogo,” it says, and Atsumu has never felt so glad to hear that voice. </p><p>He makes a dash out of the station and onto a bus, and although his mind is still a little fuzzy from sleep, his feet work on autopilot when he gets to his stop, and he runs down a familiar path he’s long since memorised. By the time he reaches the rice fields he’s more awake, leaning forward and panting whilst his eyes searched for the one he came for. </p><p>He finds him easily, like he always has. </p><p>He stands up straight, and shouts, as loud as he can. “Shinsuke!” All the farmers within earshot turn and look at him, a few recognising who he is and whispering to each other. But he only has eyes for the person in the far left field, knee deep in the paddock, eyes wide as he stares at Atsumu. </p><p>Quickly, Atsumu makes his way through the fields towards Kita, stopping outside of the actual paddock since he wasn’t dressed to go in. (Although, if it came down to it, he’d jump in without a second thought.) Thankfully, the rice farmer made his way out, coming to stand before Atsumu. </p><p>“Why are you here, Atsumu?”</p><p>Atsumu closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before looking at the slightly shorter man. “Ya told me ter go home, Shin. So I came.” </p><p>He sees the other breathe in sharply at his words, but continues before the other can speak. “I went back ter my apartment at first, but when I got there all I could think ‘bout was how empty it was. I’ve always thought it was lonely there, but it wasn’t until I thought hard ‘bout it that I realised why the only joy I find in that place is from lookin’ at the pictures of us.” He takes the other’s gloved hands in his own, ignoring the dirt and mud. “Yer my home, Shin. I’m sorry I forgot that.” </p><p>His heart jumps to his throat and he panics a little when Kita retracts his hands, and he tries to reach for them again as his vision blurs. “Shin, I know I’m late, and I’m sorry I hurt ya. But I- ”</p><p>His voice dies abruptly when Kita places his hand, now glove-free, back into his open palms. His other hand finds its ways to his face, carefully brushing away his tears. “Shin?”</p><p>Kita’s expression is gentle when he speaks, “I didn’t expect you to come here. But it’s a nice surprise.” </p><p>A flicker of hope rises in Atsumu’s heart, giving him the courage to say his next words. “Will ya take me back, Shin? Gimme a second chance to show ya that yer all I truly want?” </p><p>Kita’s answer comes in the form of a kiss. </p><p>And it’s there, lips pressed together under the heat of the morning sun, with neighbouring farmers cheering for them, that Atsumu finds his home. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Sorry for the sad feels in this one, but the good news is that tomorrow's piece is all fluff! I wish everyone a happy atsukita week, and a good day in general!</p><p>My twitter is @sun_shine712 if you'd like to chat!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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